Exhibit 12(a)

                           J. C. Penney Company, Inc.
                          and Consolidated Subsidiaries
       Computation of Ratios of Available Income to Combined Fixed Charges
                    and Preferred Stock Dividend Requirement







                                             52 Weeks        52 Weeks       52 Weeks       52 Weeks        52 Weeks
                                               Ended          Ended          Ended          Ended           Ended
($ in Millions)                              01/25/03        01/26/02       01/27/01       01/29/00        01/30/99
                                           --------------  -------------  -------------  -------------   -------------
                                                                                          
Income/(loss) from continuing operations         $  557           $ 172         $ (920)        $  237          $  674
      (before income taxes, before
      capitalized interest, but after
      preferred stock dividend)

Fixed charges

Interest (including capitalized
interest) on:

      Operating leases                               349            305            320            272             225
      Short-term debt                                  4             --             13            137             106
      Long-term debt                                 403            426            464            538             557
      Capital leases                                   4              5              3              2               4
      Other, net                                      19              8              2             (5)              1
                                           --------------  -------------  -------------  -------------   -------------
Total fixed charges                                  779            744            802            944             893
Preferred stock dividend, before taxes                27             29             33             36              37
                                           --------------  -------------  -------------  -------------   -------------
Combined fixed charges and preferred
      stock dividend requirement                     806            773            835            980             930

Total available income/(loss)                    $ 1,363          $ 945          $ (85)       $ 1,217         $ 1,604
                                           ==============  =============  =============  =============   =============
Ratio of available income to combined
      fixed charges and preferred stock
      dividend requirement                           1.7            1.2           -0.1 *          1.2             1.7
                                           ==============  =============  =============  =============   =============


*  Income from continuing operations (before income taxes and capitalized interest, but after preferred stock dividend) was not
   sufficient to cover combined fixed charges and preferred stock by $920 million.